They're all at the prime of their careers, and one thing is for sure, if I'd be in their shoes, I would be really nervous. Artists like Donny Pangilinan, Piolo Pascual, and husband and wife Sarah Geronimo, Matteo Guidicelli most of the time have work, so securing their future certainly should be the play in a very volatile industry.
Donny has just got his career started, while Sarah and Matteo are planning their lives as a newly wed couple. Piolo on the other hand has plans to invest heavily in the next few years, especially since he has saved up a lot over the years. They are all part of Sun Life's newest endeavor called "Guaranteed Partner for Life!"
Ms. Carla Gonzales Chong the Chief Client Experience and Marketing Officer for Sun Life says "Donny, Sarah, Matteo and Piolo all know how Sun Life has been a great partner in planning with and supporting our clients. As ambassadors, they have real life experience in prioritizing what they need for now and their future. Sun Life has been in the industry for over 128 years, and in it we have been able to help Filipinos through world wars, economic turmoil, even recently, a pandemic. They know that they can count on us as their Guaranteed Partner for Life. We are happy to be part of their financial security and bright future. You will see them in our new campaign videos, at different times in their lives they will share their experience in fulfilling their goals, just like for every Filipino."
You can now see these new content on their social channels so make sure you follow @SunLifePH on Facebook, IG, YouTube, TikTok and their official website sunlife.co/guaranteed-partner-for-life. You may also get in touch with a Sun Life Advisor on the same channels, so they can guide you in planning your financial goals and journey. Go ahead and talk to an Advisor today!
Have you already insured your kids with 4 paws? If not, then here's good news from BDO Insure and Pioneer. See, they've managed to get more affordable but customizable plans for your cats/dogs. They teamed up just to make sure you get them the protection they need but give you the freedom to choose what you need in it.
The VP for BDO Insure Ed Ramirez says "This Pet Dog and Cat insurance will certainly give paw parents peace of mind when the unexpected happens to our fur babies. The Philippines remains the highest in terms of dog ownership in Asia while we place second in owning cats as pets. The love we have for them inspired us to come up with these insurance plans that can be personalized, easy and affordable too."
They've got 4 different plans that you can get for as low as Php 560 and
get you coverage for fractures, burns, drowning, bites and a couple
more on the list. You can customize that and add in those for different
illnesses, dental conditions, accidental death, pet travel (for
emergencies), if they get abducted or owner's fault. They also welcome
different breeds, even mixed ones as young as 3 months. If you've got an
older one, they can still be insured as long as they don't go beyond 6
years. Then it can also be renewed til they get to 12 years. This was
showcased during the SM Super Pets Club Caravan during weekends at SM
Malls. Other activities were also enjoyed by furparents and furbabies
like the Doggie Boot Camp, The Super Pet Fur Show, Meet and Greet with
TikTok superstar Show Suzuki with his cute Gonta. So if you're around SM
Malls, go there from August 12 to September 3 only on 8 pet friendly SM
malls. If you want to know more about the BDO Insure Pet Dogs and Cats
Insurance, it's all online at bdo.com.ph/bdo-insure/personal/pet so go
get them covered!
I don't know what it is about this particular media conference, but after covering Sarah Geronimo for a couple of years now, this has been one of the most bubbly instances we've seen her. She was nervous before the announcement and while she talked to Matteo about being part of Sun Life, he said she just had to be herself... and I think that's why she was phenomenal telling us about her financial journey. She's also so glad to be doing this with her husband because they were like a team on stage, like highschool sweethearts telling stories, finishing each others sentences.
Her campaign was called "Partners for Life!", fitting, especially if a person is looking for someone who would help her achieve financial goals. She's been very good at it even before getting married, and even more now that she's part of Sun Life's ambassadors. They also talked about the businesses they're in like a production company, management and a studio owner in the south of Manila.
Here's the moment when they introduced her, please pardon the shot because there was just a huge pillow of smoke because of the smoke machines on stage.
Ms. Carla Gonzalez-Chong the Sun Life Chief Client Experience and Marketing Officer said it was quite an easy choice to do because Sarah had the same values as their company. She's very passionate about her own goals and futhering their campaign in financial literacy. She knows how important it is which is why she's a great example for those who are starting out their families, or professionals who have been so busy with work, and need that extra security when they get sick, or taking care of their families.
There will be several videos that will be released soon on what their dynamics are as partners for life, showing how they are supporting each other while they go through everyday life. Matteo was so giddy telling us about the little things that Sarah does at home. She cooks, bakes really good croissants and bakes good Tres Leches cake on special occasions.
The videos will be shown on TV, Sun Life's social channels and surely, it'll be out soon so for those AshMatt fans out there, you'll love what's about to come! Hopefully to teach you a thing or two about managing your finances too.
Had a very fun morning over at Sun Life's event in BGC Central Square Mall as they held Wheel of Life by Sun Life. It was hosted by Piolo Pascual and before he was doing boyfriend POV's on TikTok, he got us to see what we should do when we had Critical Illness, this is where they introduced three new plans.
Piolo Pascual says "Sun Life insurance and Sun Life investments have always been important for me. It was something I always got every year or every time they have something new. It wasn't just investment for me but something that could save me from the pains of having myself or a family member pay for critical illness when it suddenly happens."
An illness can drain our savings, Sun Life is here to also introduce to you a new health ambassador, Donny Pangilinan. As you can see, he's going to be part of several activations and sports events that will enjoin families, Sun Life plan holders soon. You may learn about Sun Life protection plans today.
You can also be part of their GO WELL movement. This will help you gain access to fitness events, plans, benefits, rewards, and you can pay for it in 10, 15, 20 years.
Sun Cancer Care is a specialized plan that can get you Go Well membership, cash benefits (when you get diagnosed), treatment support benefit (for 12 months following approval), compassionate death benefit, life insurance. Sun Life Assure on the other hand is for treatment and hospital bills. For those who wish for more, there's Sun Fit and Well Advantage that covers over 100 kinds of illnesses.
If you're interested in getting one, this is where you need to talk to an expert Sun Life Advisor or through their social channels. Our cases are different and it would be wise to ask them in person on what would be best for you right?
If there's something that the pandemic has taught us, it's the uncertainty of life. With it still in our midst and in every other country, you've seen the need for financial security especially during these times where people lose their jobs, their loved ones, and scare us with a deadly virus every minute of the day.
People who have insurance surely have had themselves an extra layer of safety from economical stress whether it be life or non life. It was surely there when we needed it, we learned how convenient it was at the most dangerous times. Although uncertainty is still here, Filipinos are starting to look at insurance differently nowadays. We learned to plan ahead, and put importance in investments + insurance.
This should have made sense a long time ago, especially since we're in the ring of fire, in the path of over 26 typhoons a year (and much stronger ones in recent past) and floods have entered cities left and right.
To date, there's only 2.3% of Filipinos spending an average of 26% on insurance. According to the AXA Philippines Chief Marketing Officer Nandy Villar "There's fast growth in insurance services in the country. This can be attributed to the implementation of digital processes during the pandemic. Still, Filipinos seem to be just one crisis away from poverty. It's still an under insured nation."
There's still a lack of financial literacy in the country which is why AXA, aside from being an insurer takes their role as financial advisors seriously. They have trained and qualified people to become partners so you can achieve financial freedom. AXA knows that there are different strokes for different folks, needs change with age and time. Your goals transform into other things including your appetite for investments. Recently, they completed the merger with Charter Ping An which means their portfolio just got bigger, more secured.
To get assessed by the pros, head on to AXA.com.ph today!
Fresh as a mornings brew, AIA showcased their digitalization movement this year. An insightful way on introducing how they innovate in their goal of building healthier, stronger and better lives.
AIA CEO Kelvin Ang says "Welcome to our second face to face meeting as we share what we have been doing after the pandemic. There's a lot of things we worked on and some of you may ask why we are doing this, it's because we want you to witness the people that have been part of our growth and a big announcement last year as we rebranded to AIA. The need to change constantly has been something that happened especially on the digital side. We are in better position to embrace the future especially in the technology, digital l, and data analytics. We used to have so many layers, we restructured it so we can work faster. We have started this in the company and the work we do with agile tribes. In our 75th year we need to start thinking about embracing change and improvement. Learning is a big part in our organization, make it sustainable, expand further and deeper. We have community, bots, an innovation culture in our organization."
He adds "In the past we used to have processes that took two weeks, now it can be done in 20 minutes. We want to make it easier for our customers. We continued to improve our customer portal online, and this year we spent a lot building sales platform to better assess their needs versus our products. It was done on Facebook messenger and fulfill our mission to make it accessible and more affordable. The one we're sharing today is something that is fun and practical, something from our innovation lab. Plus the new distribution to make it accessible and affordable like our other products."
Chief Technology Officer Noel Mendoza explains "The best worst thing that happened in technology was the pandemic, people had to adapt in a faster pace. Everything had to be changed, and it has changed the way consumers get products and services. What we want to share is the things we need to do in the office. It's very different, as customers demand more and to be able to listen to them. It allows us to attune to customers needs today. This will change over time, and this is our innovation program. Our lab makes us understand what is possible, it's where we see what's relevant in the market. We will give you a taste of that and why automation is important."
Dwayne Tin the Innovation and Automation Lead of AIA says "We are not a physical lab, we enable everyone from CEO to customer to have a voice. It's a virtual representation of what we try to be. In a minute you can do a tour to experience how it is to be part of innovation on ground."
The consumers are vital for technology to reach goals. Improvement needs feedback to see what works and what doesn't. Interacting with customers made them learn to discover and combine things in an automation process. The chat bots was made with the customer in mind, to start conversations that are usually asked, like payments and or policy updates especially if they want to information now. It also is manned by digital workers to provide services fast, without queues, send it to you even with multiple policies in tow. Now it just isn't queries they answer, they do transactions and can do it also on My AIA for more secured ones. It also gives customers the ability to understand the costs without being too shy about asking an actual person, even just on messenger you can already accomplish things. It allows in person conversation to a minimal, so they too can concentrate on those what matters most.
Thank you to everyone who showed us around their offices this morning. Really appreciate it!
AIA Philippines want this to be better, to make sure they can build more things to help more customers in the future. That's a noble thing.
This morning was a little nice courtesy of our friends from GCASH. The number one financial app is gearing towards more services that offer financial freedom and capacity to grow your business (especially for SME's), grow your own money, insure your properties and life, and even lend you some money if you need it.
The only challenge is to have this be available for everyone, and this is where the GCASH app comes in. This is something that can unlock your financial goals, the tools that does it all. It's the electronic wallet that does payments and seamless transactions and there's no time to do it but now. They're glad to know that people are using the name GCASH synonymous with payment, and they're introducing these new services to cater to more people that want innovation.
Easy, accessible and affordable, they introduce GLoan. Tony Isidro the CEO of Fuse Lending Inc. says "Over half of Filipinos have banking access, but only 20 percent acquire loans. If they need one, they borrow from friends, loan sharks, which puts them in disadvantage sometimes. GCash wants finance for all, so now we're introducing lending products that are transparent and fair. GLoan is something that goes to your wallet without filling up any documents. If you are qualified, just go to GLoan section on the app and get it instantly. You can use it to pay for bills, essentials, shopping, tuition, or other products and services. You can also use it for capital. There's also GGives, which you can use to pay for products without having a credit card. You can pay for it in 12 months, and there are various commercial establishments and partner merchants that accept it. You can buy furniture, TV, go out without any down payment needed. Our goal is giving everyone access to finance, it's finance for all."
Jong Layug the current Head of Wealth Management introduced existing GSave. He says "This helps people save, go without piggy banks, keeping money at home, and CIMB does a good job managing funds. You also earn interest, allows consumers to save instead of just keeping it stagnant. It's also protected by PDIC and helps you keep it safely. One out of 5 Filipinos already have a GSave account, and growing more. People also want to invest, which is why we have BPI and ATRAM so they could do investments. From local and global funds, you can start growing your wealth so you could achieve your financial goals conveniently. You can expect more in the next few months."
Head of GCash New Business Neil Trinidad introduces GInsure. Access to it is a little problematic in the Philippines because it's expensive, inaccessible, and people think they don't need it. He says "More people find insurance relevant now especially Gen Z's. GInsure is easy to discover and is in one marketplace, if you need it for live or non life items, 14 right now is available, it's affordable, and is offered in different price points. Even cover dengue and COVID for only 300 pesos. We want it easy for people to purchase, and now it takes 2 minutes to do that. This enables access for more Filipinos, our mission is to make partnerships that cover life, non-life, vehicle, even bill protect. We also have insurance plans for businesses, you can even gift it to others, and soon it'll cover policies for employees, MSME's, evolving everyday. 4 out of 10 Filipinos now have a pet, and now Pet Insurance is also available. There's also Online Shopping Insurance, so those retail frauds can be resolved fast, all in GInsure."
Here's excerpts from the press conference this morning
A lot of Filipinos will surely benefit from this, so if you're in the mood to be one of them, go download the app on the App store or Google Play today!
To develop products that keep up your ever changing needs, AIA Philippines wants you to live it. In order to have healthier, longer and better lives, they are now introducing AIA Total Health Solutions.
In a virtual forum this morning, AIA wants yo to know that you can get protected no matter what your health starting line may be. It's AIA's latest innovation, Cheif Marketing Officer Leo Tan says "From the time I wake up til I fall asleep, I earn points in the AIA Vitality app. I often check my policies also on the app. Total Health Solutions can help you buy vitamins, ordering meicines, lab requirements and teleconsult with doctors. Easy access to your healthcare needs is not just a one time relationship, we are your constant partner, so you can have healthier, better lives."
Total Health Solutions is your time to stay healthy. In it, you have a personalized solution all in one platform.
In the event, Will Dasovich also got us to follow a few procedures and shared how he did overnight oats. Milk, Oats, Honey, Chia Seeds put in the fridge, Toppings go before you eat it. You do this before you sleep and eat it the next day. It's quick and easy, and very healthy. By the way, he also reiterated that customers can also consult with a nutritionist on the app, overall total wellness, yes, they've got that covered.
Kats Cajucom the Head of Health and Wellness of AIA says "AIA Vitality encourage positive change and we actively ask our customers live healthier lives through this app. The app now has features and incentivize it with choices you make every day. Members can now earn points in the food tracker, have health assesment, encourage you to get enough sleep, even COVID vaccination, all now has equivalent points so you can get perks when purchasing in partner establishments. AIA also knows Filipinos love to take photos of their food, you can submit them in the app before you post it on social media and hopefully, get encouraged to eat healthy as well."
Ten Paras and Paolo Valenciano discussed a few things. Pao says "Going to work and being around people, you are unsure if you're gonna get COVID, it adds to fear and live events during this pandemic was greatly affected. I started taking vitamins, get physically active, walk everyday, run as much as I can. At home, we try to be more creative and spend more time with my daughter, do the extra effort with our time. We improve healthier lifestyle, ensure financial preparedness, even if there are emergencies, we have to make sure we plan for a more secured future.
Ten adds "Savings can get affected with accidents and death. We need to be at the best of health. It's better to be one step ahead and be prepared with life's uncertainties. In these situations, we have to be sure our mental state is also healthy. Spending time with family, financially prepared for everything so we get peace of mind even if the worse scenarios happen. Hope this allows us to just focus on recovery just in case we get it. AIA has different products for protection, health, life, and there is a right one that can protect you. The all in one product is available for the public, but there is a comprehensive plan that can also grow your savings. It's called AIA All In One Plus which we will be launching soon. I always tell people that the best insurance for you is the one accessible. We give you the right product, the right platform to monitor your health and one that can cater your needs. The AIA Vitality app promotes healthy lifestyle and gives incentives to healthy behaviors. You have AIA platform that simplify your experience looking into different products, so you get a total health solution ecosystem so you get protected by AIA Philippines."
Gary Valenciano joined in and he says "I'm learning a lot in this event. I am more motivated to be in a health track. It's been common to hear stories, it's challenging mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally. The way I live my life, I'm being surrounded by good people. You get to see their vulnerability, we talk, even friends, they go through life. It's important to have people speak life to your life. When my health scare happened, I had a little more extra in protocols so I stay healthy and preven myself get sick. I had to shift gears so it doesn't happen again. Getting used to things that are mental, the cuts, the wound, it was a difficult recovery. Mentally, it was even challenging because rehab wasn't even going good, but surely they said 3 months, I was already performing live and on stage. It would have been easier if I had peace of mind, I was able to reach out to those who could help me, from medical teams, my wife, my family, they were able to make up to whatever I lacked in my mental state. The support from people who are there for you, it'll become easier because of them."
Brand Ambassadors Nico Bolzico and Solenn Heussaff adds "Luckily we haven't had any health scares, but my Father had one. It was a difficult month, but aside from that it's all good. As a parent, we panic fast, you're never concerned when it's not there. We think of ways to look for help, prepare so you know what to do. You have to focus on your child, look for treatments she needs especially when hospitals aren't the same anymore. Having a game plan is good, it's important to get consultation, where to get it, how to get it so they can guide us so you can focus on getting better.
Total Health Solutions currently has Avega, regional passports that enable cross border health care treatments in Southeast Asia, HK based ones soon. Zuelig Pharma has a suite of health solutions so you can have diagnosis and treatment, medicine deliveries for prescription and over the counter meds. Soon they will also be offering discounted rates for vaccination. If you are an AIA Philippines customer, just access it to the health tab of the platform and choose teleconsultation and go to the EZConsult platform wherein you can be diagnosed, consulted by a doctor, even deliveries of medicine. They will also have discounted rates for COVID testing and vaccination, something that we need today.
Woke up super early for this but had my cup of coffee and forgot to login promptly for the 11th edition of the E-Talk Tales hosted by Unionbank. Guest speakers were UBX President and CEO John Januszczak, Coherent CEO John Brisco and Chubb Deputy Regional President for Asia Pacific Glen Browne.
They discussed the Philippines low insurance coverage and how much Filipinos have not seen the benefits of having one. John Januszczak says "It's not easy for most people to have a basic understanding of how it can be valuable for them. Providers should device a way to make it easier for them to discover it. You have to make them relate, have it personalized and not make it complicated. These days, some products are being shown the same way as it was 50 years ago. It should be easy to understand for customers, agents and advisors. Mobile has been a great enabler in the Philippines and we have to leverage that more so for internet connection, I believe there are creative ways to do it. We're bringing products to make the transaction faster, to make it easier for them to buy insurance. There is indeed a lot of upside in getting insurance."
John Brisco, CEO of Coherent says "What we do is make it easy for them to create products by providing data, help them interact wtih insurance and UBX without hitches, make it accessible for everyone. We want to help integrate them into the UBX ecosystem and act as the facilitator between them and UBX. We want it to be as seamless as possible."
Glen Brown adds "Insurance is seen as something extremely complicated, when we first partnered with UBX, what we could do here was different from other countries. We'd learned across Southeast Asia that we need to bring the best solutions to more that 50 Million signups in the region. There really has been a change in the last 2-3 years. Chubb continues to provide world-class products that fits in that experience and Coherent is bringing the technology that makes that happen. It's quite unique."
With the way things are, there are lots of room to grown in the insurance business in the country. You just have to have the right partner to make it work.
Times are hard but that doesn't mean you would veer away from your goals. You still have a family to feed, a house to build, and hopefully, a positive future for your family.
I've been an AIA Philam Life beneficiary and my family has been a testament of what it means to have a prepared future. I'm taking that journey with the Philippines premier life insurance company because their purpose coincides with mine, to live healthier, longer, and have better lives. Recently, their CEO Kelvin Ang and Investment Management Head of Funds Shrikant Bhat shared their secrets on how to manage and secure their finances. As fathers, this was something important to them for the stability of their family.
WHY are you doing it?
You have to ask that question before you do decide on what your financial goal is. Whether it's for your sons and daughters education, building a house, plainly having a fund in times of emergencies or things you want to do in the future. It should be something you are passionate about. It should give you a reason to strive for your objective. As Kelvin puts it "It's going to be hard to motivate yourself. Knowing why you are doing this will help you focus on your goals."
ASK the experts
Taking risks is okay, but with the actual future of your family on the line you've got to be more serious about it. Asking the experts would be the best educated decision to do. These days, there are financial advisors with years of experience who would give you sound advice on what to do with your finances. Shrikant says "They know how to asses your financial situation. You need to fully understand that before you decide to engage in purchasing plans and doing investments." This totally makes sense and as much as we hate to go through processes, we need to be sure about this as this involves the people you love.
Start NOW
There's no other time to do things, but now. Yes, you can make mistakes, learn from it, as experience is the best teacher. Your financial situations may take a turn and evolve, but if you do start early, you get to plan ahead. Shrikant adds "It's normal that not all your plans can be fulfilled in one go. You can start small, you must start now. Kids grow and may change your financial situations at any given time, you may start putting more resources re-visit your plans too."
Think LONG TERM
Goals should not all be short term ones. You pay for education and other expenses, but you have to think about what to do if in case you retire. Set aside or invest in yourself too. Focus on your goals, but never forget yourself. Kelvin suggests "Set an amount that would forcibly go to this fund, it will minimize risk and employ maximum returns especially if you're going to be discouraged to withdraw it from your savings."
Always be PREPARED
When emergencies happen, the last thing you would want is to be caught off guard. You have to set aside a fund with around 3-6 months worth of spending so your resources are protected. AIA Philam Life's Future Builder can help you maximize your savings and diversify your investments. This product also gets you basic life insurance for life, disability and personal accidents. You can also enjoy Philam Life's wellness program, Philam Vitality. If you want to know more about it, you may start here.
Visit AIA Philam Life's Facebook page as they also have lots of information there.
Things have not yet gone normal in your place and there are tons of things you need to do like financial transactions, or maybe just get emergency funds too. In the Philippines, Cebuana Lhullier is one of the most trusted pawnshop brands and this pandemic, they've been very useful especially for us Filipinos who value family ties and help each other out in times like these.
Now not all of us are confident to go out because of COVID-19 and people have limited access to vaccine and proper tests, and businesses thankfully have been able to stay away from the brick and mortar model and started to adapt online. Same with Cebuana Lhullier as they now have launched CEBUANA FROM HOME. It's a new platform to give all of the usual services that Cebuana Lhullier has and make it all available online. Yeap, you heard that right, from pawning jewelry to doing remittance services, they can do it now!
How to PAWN from Home
This one is actually easy. Just log in on their official website https://www.cebuanafromhome.com. Then after that, just wait for your form to be reviewed and an appraiser from the nearest Cebuana Lhullier will come to your home, check the item, negotiate the price then give you the loan on the spot. You can also pay for the interest or the actual item on the same platform so you don't have to go to the branch anymore unless you're picking it up.
Pay Bills, Send Cash Remittance or Get Insurance
That's not all, of course, since the 2,500 strong branches of Cebuana Lhullier also accept payments for the most common utilities which comprise of about 10 billers nationwide. You can also send money from home by doing it online so the other party can receive it from Cebuana Lhullier agents. They also have insurance available for Personal, Medical Expenses or Doctor's Consultation if you want to protect the lives of your family.
They Do Express Delivery
Since some areas are difficult to access, they do deliveries too. Your pawned items can be sent or delivered securely with their own express delivery service. As of now, this is available only in pilot areas so it would be better to ask your nearest Cebuana Lhullier first if they do allow the service. They have their own dedicated fleet for this so you're assured you get those things safe.
Cebuana From Home (CFH) is available on the said website, their Android App, Facebook Messenger or SMS service. Hopefully, all these would be available to the public soon. This would be so good for those who can't leave or choose to be at home.
2020 is about to end and hopefully, nothing bad will happen from hereon. We remain good, hopeful, we learned a lot, and lucky to still have our time with family and friends at the comforts of our home this Christmas. But think about it, not everyone is actually lucky. There are folks who lost their jobs, families who got hungry, even organizations, foundations and charitable institutions who lost funding because everyone is in dire straights when the lock down happened. I just hope they're not suffering, especially the people, the children who they are taking care of.
Anyway, we still have a lot to be thankful for. The question I always ask my interviewees when I end a session is "What are you thankful for?", I guess in the months we've been locked in on our homes, it still brought something good with humanity. People have sought and helped family, other folks, relative or not, just pretty much our fellow Filipino. It's also the right thing to do.
AIA Philam Life is doing the same. They're giving back to one of these charities:
SOS Children’s Village - An NGO focused on fostering care for children.
Haribon Foundation - All for biodiversity and conservation.
Leonard Cheshire Foundation - A health and welfare charity organization.
Anawin Home for the Elderly - A care center for the abandoned and elderly.
There are more. If you become the winner, you can get to choose a partner charity organization. They will receive Php 100,000 from AIA Philam life, which I'm sure they need right now. This is the AIA Philam Life Share the Love and Give Back Promo. You may check the whole mechanics here https://bit.ly/PALSignUpForACauseMechanics. You can also sign up for it here https://bit.ly/PALSignUpForACause so you can help them help others. Check out the hashtag #TuloyAngBuhay on social channels to see more of it.
Enchong Dee is in the prime of his life, his career is on top, his businesses flourish, and he still wants more. He also helps people behind the scenes, helps his family and others. He's the perfect guy imho, I wouldn't be surprised he's going to be even more successful in the coming years.
Enchong talked to us during a press conference after his live session and he shares "We have a lot of ways to save our car, bikes, property and we need income generating investments. At 4,000 a month, you can now save your business, you can use it for your business too. For me, I would advise people at my age to make an investment that is very close to your heart. When you are young, when you are still healthy, there is more room to grow. I am in the business of real estate, restaurants and others. I don't promote them as much and I don't think I have bankrupt businesses because I still have them open. I am very thankful that none of us have been affected in Bicol. I am always praying to make me a bridge to help people in 2020, my heart really bleeds with people that have been affected by the pandemic and the typhoons. I still want to put up another business despite the things happening, maybe a farm to table concept if it is possible. I see food as a necessity, we need it, we want it and in the country we need that. Passion isn't enough but it's good that it is there. We need a lot to succeed, but it's a nice first step. It's a shrimp business, we don't have sustainable farming and I am going to explore that with new technology. I want to have a facility that won't be affected by typhoons and hope we would be able to survive. In my restaurants, we didn't have movements and since there were not much sales, we needed to cook them so we strengthened online payments and couriers so we can keep up with the times and systems. I graduated developmental studies in La Salle but my love for doing business was from my parents. I used to sell instant noodles and corned beef to my team mates, I learned at an early age that no matter how small my earnings were it was a good experience. When I was already working I used the same system in my businesses, when I have earned in show business, I already knew where it would go, to a business of course."
Enchong also talked about security and says "It is important to have a backup plan. It safeguards my business, it safeguards my future. We need to do that because we can't expect things like this pandemic. We practiced a contingency fund for our business, if we need another one, I added the Negosyante Starter Pack so I can insert my personal funds when I needed it. You have to have that clear vision of what you will achieve. All the things you do, you have to folow that goal no matter what happens in your business. In our company, we told them about the situation, transparency to let them see the state of the business. They understood the situation and they had clear mindset about what was happening if their salaries was a little delayed. We were all going through it, they worked hard, they got average daily sales and achieved it. I said earlier about passion, I told them about what I did in my case. When you're so tired from work you can still go to your business. Sit down with your business partners and seek where you can help, it makes you a real part of the business and not just wait for dividends so you can be a part of future businesses with them too, so you can grow more. I want to build a business in Naga, in Bicol to open up more opportunities in that part of the country. I want to have my own game show, my own biopic, I will pray for that. Business and pleasure can mix, if you do good in business, you can enjoy it when it grows. It will come to a point when you will rest and you won't have those worries when you don't have work. For me, you don't cross the line, it has to be clear that you are going there to work and it's not a relationship. If I would give an advise for my contemporaries, just work. Business is not a thing that can be hurried, it doesn't work that way, you need to do two to three good businesses that earn rather than a lot of restaurants in one go and some of them won't earn. Behind every successful man is a woman, it may help but you have to know if you're inspired because of it or have their support, it is a case to case basis. It will help."
He tells us some of his celebrity friends also ask him about doing business but he says "Sometimes when I get to see my friends asking me questions about business, I tell them about it. But most often that not, they don't follow through. I hope they turn it to action because they know when I get into something I make sure it is very secure."
I asked him about his other policies and Enchong answered "Yes I have three different policies in SunLife, I have Health, I have Negosyante Starter Pack and Life Insurance. I am so secured because SunLife is my partner. I have a goal to try new things in businesses, but I have to educate myself each time I do that. To know who my business partner is, timing and location, which is what I do every time I venture into different things. It feels good to consistently treat yourself as a student, so you learn things even more."
Ms. Len Arboleda adds "Sunlife is in the business of Life Insurance. There are other types of non life insurance which can cover risks on the business itself. We cover individuals only."
The Negosyante Starter Pack combines Sun MaxiLink 100 which is an investment linked life insurance and the Sun Life Prosperity Achiever 2028 Fund which grows capital. You should talk to an advisor so you know which one would fit you. This would be a really great plan for new entrepreneurs who want to have security so you can fund future projects and have some extra for instances of emergencies. If you want to know more, they have information about it on www.sunlife.com.ph.
Matteo was so fine during our Zoom meeting, telling us about his Sun Life journey now that he's married to Sarah Geronimo.
Matteo just got married, and yes, he's got plans for that. He's getting it from Sun Life too and calls it the Newly Wed Bundle. We talked about it over a Zoom meeting this evening and it was nice to see the man again after a few months of not seeing each other (feeling close lol).
Did things change?
Matte says "Yes, as I'm budgeting for two people already and you are thinking about beds, your household staff and I enjoy it every single day. I enjoy every moment with my wife. Trust is very important and I think you and your partner should never hide anything, so you become better people together. When I go to work today, it is for my family and my future. My wife is my priority, it is important to have that mindset when you're starting, to be transparent and to start saving right away. To have an investment portfolio with Sun Life, you can discuss that perfectly for your needs."
What do they splurge on?
"We did buy a huge TV, I'll have that on my Youtube video this week. We've been also good plantitos and plantitas. We splurge on plants these days."
How do they spend?
A good balance is important. To make your wife happy is also important, but of course common sense, not OA, a balance with each other. We tell each other if we need it or not. We always put each other in reality.
Kilig
Every single day of being boyfriend and girlfriend, to realize and breathe see that we are husband and wife, working together, it puts a smile on my face seeing that.
Being in Sun Life
Working with them for 5 or 6 years, they educated me that the earlier possible time to invest, the better. If I invested a couple of years ago, it would have been very big. Save a lot, invest, your money will grow.
Len Arboleda of Sun Life says "Matt really practices it. It really a lifetime partnership with Sun Life and we have seen that through the years where he's been with us."
Budgeting
I think it's very important for us to always talk about our finances. Investing wise, we have to make sure we do it with good companies, not to scammers, to do it with a legit company and telling your advisor what you want to achieve.
9 Months with Sarah
It's a blessing, to find someone like her, I am very thankful. Sarah is very talented in baking too, if ever it begins like a business, please buy one ha!
Having Kids
Pray for it next week. We don't know yet, we're not rushing but in God's time it will happen. Diko pa alam how much, the more the merrier!
With Sun Life you feel secure, it's very important. You can start with 5,000 pesos and it will earn in the next few years. When you have kids, you have a fund for them, so we do invest in the right things.
Business
The restaurant is okay. I had two branches so it is challenging. I had to find ways to make it well, we're not doing great but we are surviving because there are people going to our restaurants still.
Do it with passion, do it with love, focus on the things we love doing. We want money to grow, invest, be smart on how you do things and do it with passion. There are great companies out there but I chose Sun Life. My Dad showed me things by example so he didn't have to sit me down and plan things.
Church Wedding
Baka, when the time is right. I hope a vaccine arrives so we can do it. I really hope so.
Bashers
These rescuers and government workers, they are just there for the service of the Filipino people. To receive criticism despite doing their jobs, I don't feel bad, I feel good for what they do, I feel bad with the people who don't understand what it feels to be there. They deserve so much credits.
Newly Wed Bundle (What does the newly wed bundle have? What do you like about it?)
The starter pack is for individuals, each one should be covered. You have to have a separate one for yourself and your wife.
You seem to always have a plan, how do you keep yourself be random, like not everything is planned/ becominng spontaneous.
"I think that is very important with me and Sarah. Yes I have a plan for everything but I do make an effort to do things that are random, thanks for reminding me to do that."
This is not a perfect world. What mistakes have you had in the past and what have you learned from them?
Yes I have had mistakes, nothing in particular but I always make it a point to not do it again in case I get to encounter problems like them again. I learn from them, I think that is important.
Having passion and starting a ton of businesses is hard but when it works, you'll reap a lot of benefits. Work with trusted partners, work with the honest ones and enjoy it. Matteo is a good example of it and he's been doing it with Sun Life for a couple of years, maybe it's time you talk to them via bit.ly/advisormatch or their website sunlife.com.ph or the official Sun Life Philippines Facebook page. Oh by the way, Matteo is also going to be on an I Feel U Christmas Special on December 6, and Masked Singer Pilipinas every Saturday on TV5. See him there!
There's no more opportune time to check on your friends, acquaintances or family than now. Metro Manila was hit hard by the recent typhoon and in other areas, I worry a lot especially those in flood prone cities and ,municipalities. I've seen them all over the news this evening and I wish them all well. Aside from that, there are still cases of COVID-19 happening in NCR. Some of them get reported, but some of them have not. Worrying? Yes. Hopeless? No. We need to get in touch with people we love to make sure they're all okay and if they need any help, we would be able to lend a hand. How you say? Send them lunch, dinner, essentials, messages of hope, advise when they need help with something because it doesn't have to be all monetary, you can also give information they need so they can benefit from it. You can also share things you have learned, about the value and importance of being protected especially during times of uncertainty.
Recently, I got word that AIA Philam Life launched a program called Share the Love. It's a Customer Referral Raffle Promo which will run from September 3 to November 30th this year. Telling others about how you can get covered can be beneficial, more so in times of emergencies and you need a huge fund to cover health payments. Get their permission first and fill up this form here bit.ly/ShareTheLoveReferralForm and check the full mechanics here.
Referrals can get you the chance to win gadgets in this move by AIA Philam Life. There are still a few weeks left before you can win these cool devices. If you're an existing customer or a referrer, you are encouraged to submit through form mentioned above. You'll get an email and/or sms via the phone number you provided upon agreeing to share your information. One raffle entry will be earned per successful referral. So if you're looking for a dependable life and non life insurance company to take good care of your family, you know where to look. They have different products which can protect them especially during these hard times. You get the chance to also win Nintendo Switch, a Dyson V11 Cordless Vacuum, an iPad Air, Samsung Galaxy Note 20 and a whole lot more. Contest ends November 30, so check the AIA Philam Life Official Facebook page if you want to see who won in previous weeks. They're very good guys, good enough for me to have a plan myself.
